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Thursday, November 12, 2015

County expects to lose as much as 1/3 of funding currently used for county programs

On Friday, Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) issued WARN notices to employees at Sebree Onton #9 Mine and ceased all production operations at that site. While some employees will be given the opportunity to transfer to other locations, at least 140 miners now find themselves without jobs. But the impact of the closing is expected to stretch much further than just the employees affected by that closing.County hard hit by lossWebster County Judge Executive James “Jim” Townsend estimated that the county will see a one third reduction in the amount of LGEA money that comes in from the state due to a loss in coal taxes.

Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 42.455 created the LGEA during the Patton Administration, setting those funds asside for coal counties to improve the quality of life for local residents. “That money will just go away,” said Townsend. “Those LGEA (Local Government Economic Assistance) dollars fund the senior citizens program, our fire departments, meals on wheels, the Webster County Dog Shelter and even the Sheriff’s Department.”

A generation of young American men were called upon to serve their country in the jungles of Vietnam, and most of them were never properly thanked for their service. These young men answered that call, many or most against their own wishes, and put their lives on the line for their country and their loved ones. Of those, 58,209 died in combat and another 153,303 were wounded.

The ones who did return came back to, at best, a lukewarm receptions. Veterans returning home from World War II and the Korean War were praised as heroes, complete with welcome home parades. Soldiers that served in Vietnam were portrayed in anti-war culture as psychos, drug addicts and war mongers. Rather than cheering fans, their planes were greeted by protesters with signs.